Continuously acting adsorption devices and process for their operation

Abstract

A plurality of adsorption containers are provided which are separated into heater adsorber zones and condenser evaporator zones. The zones are successfully rotated through flow segments which form a passageway for heat carrier flows. The heater adsorption zones contain an adsorption substance from which an operating substance is extracted by adsorbing heat from a heat carrier flow and is again adsorbed by emitting heat to a further heat carrier flow. The operating substance condenses and evaporates by means of a heat exchange with further heat exchangers. The adsorption devices are suitable as cooling devices and heat pumps as well as heat transformers and heat exchangers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adsorption system comprising; at least two gas tight closed adsorption containers consisting of heater adsorber zones which are filled with adsorption material capable of adsorbing and deadsorbing an operating substance and condenser evaporator zones which condense the operating substance or readsorb it in a further adsorption substance, the adsorption containers being rotatable together about a rotational axis so that all heater adsorber zones are located within a first rotational element and all condenser evaporator zones are located within a second rotational element which is radially spaced from said first rotational element and which is not penetrated by the first rotation element, the rotational elements being separated in stationary flow segments which are traversed by separated heat carrier flows, the zones capable of being rotated so as to alternately exchange heat with heat emitting and heat adsorbing heat carrier flows, and adjacent adsorption containers being adapted to exchange heat with the same heat carrier flows. 
     
     
       2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the adsorption containers are formed and arranged to include means to exclude admixing of the heat carrier flows within the rotational elements, means to provide for adequate sealing of the stationary heat carrier segments against the rotating adsorption containers by use of regenerative "rotor-heat" exchangers, means to induce a torque to the adsorption container with the aid of the heat carrier flows and mean to effect a torque around the rotational axis by displacing the operating substance in the adsorption containers. 
     
     
       3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the adsorption substances is selected from the group consisting of zeolites, activated carbons, silica gels, bentonites, desiccating salts and metal hydrides and the operating substance is selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ammonia, freon and hydrogen. 
     
     
       4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein drying substances are applied on the outer surfaces of the adsorption containers. 
     
     
       5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the adsorption containers are rotated by a ventilator motor and a drive. 
     
     
       6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein means is provided to rotate the containers so that during a full rotation of the adsorption containers around the rotational axis all heater adsorber zones successfully pass through separated flow segments for the functions of boiling, cooling, adsorbing and heating, while the condenser evaporator zones run in phase also through he separated flow segments for the functions of condensing, cooling evaporating and heating. 
     
     
       7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein heat exchange means is provided so that predetermined positioning of the flow segments with respect to the heat carrier flows provides for exchange of heat between the flow segments and the heat carrier flows for the heating and cooling function. 
     
     
       8. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heat carrier flows in the flow segments flow against the temperature gradients of the passing by adsorption containers. 
     
     
       9. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heat carrier flows flow successively through a plurality of flow segments for different functions. 
     
     
       10. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rotating frequency of the adsorption containers is controlled in accordance with at least one of the temperatures of individual heat carrier flows and the temperatures of the adsorption containers. 
     
     
       11. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein means is provided for displacing the flow segments within the rotational elements in order to prevent changing of at least one of the temperature of the heat carrier flows and the mode of operations of the adsorption devices. 
     
     
       12. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein selective heating and cooling means is provided so that for the boiling function the hot heat carrier flows are fed into the flow segments, for cooling purposes the heat carrier flows from the flow segments for the evaporation function are used, while the heat carrier flows from the flow segments for the condensing and/or adsorbing functions are preferably used for heating. 
     
     
       13. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein heat transformer means are provided by the adsorbtion devices whereby the flow segments for the evaporation and boiling function are fed with heat carrier flows having a mean temperature and for the adsorbtion function heat carrier flows with a high temperature are available from the flow segments. 
     
     
       14. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein heat exchanger means with heat-pipe-effect is provided by using the adsorbtion devices so that the heat carrier flows to be cooled are fed through the flow segments for the evaporation and/or boiling function and the heat carrier flows to be heated are fed through the flow segments for the adsorbtion and/or condensing function. 
     
     
       15. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein a regenerative heat exchanger is provided by using the adsorbtion device so that the heat carriers to be cooled are fed through the flow segments for the boiling and/or condensing functions and the heat carriers to be heated are fed through the flow segments for the adsorbing and/or evaporating function. 
     
     
       16. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the heat carrier flows flow simultaneously through a plurality of flow segments for different functions.